Loose-leaf binder



June 20, 1950 E. F. BUENGER Erm. 2,512,415

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed May 14. 1947 IN V EN TORS,

Patented June 20, 1950 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Edward F. Buenger, River Forest, and John J.

Monighan, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Wilson- Jones Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 14, 1947, senin No. 748,076

3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-24) This invention relates to a loose leaf binder and particularly to a spacer adapted to simplify the assembly of the ring metal with the case.

The more expensive ring binders are provided with a spring back which firmly holds the ring plates in operative relationship during the assembly of the metal and the case of the binder. On less expensive binders, however, the spring back is omitted for economical reasons and the outer edge of the ring plates are fulcrumed in the curved edges of the cover plate. Although this structure operates satisfactorily without a spring back it has several serious disadvantages. Spacers are required between the bottom of the ring plates and the back of the binder to provide suicient room for the toggle motion of the inside edges of the ring plates and to provide clearance between the bottom of the trigger and the binding material to keep the triggers bottom edge from tearing the binding material.

Shouldered eyelets have been utilized as spacers, but have not been entirely satisfactory because the top of the eyelet must be spun over the cover plate to hold the spacer in proper position during the assembly of the metal with the case of the binder. This extra spinning operation adds considerably to the cost of manufacturing the binders. Another disadvantage of the eyelet is the size of the hole that must be provided in the cover plate to permit insertion of an eyelet large enough to receive the shank of a rivet that must be driven through the eyelet to secure the metal to the case of the binder. Particularly in small binders the size of the aperture is of extreme importance because the space available for such apertures is very small.

One object of our invention is to provide a strong, inexpensive spacer that may be easily positioned around a conventional rivet to furnish adequate support for the rivet and cover plate during the riveting operation. It is a further object of our invention to provide a spacer that will permit the ring plates to move between open and closed position and will also provide suiiicient clearance to keep the bottom of the trigger out of contact with the binding material. Another object of our invention is to provide a spacer that does not project through the cover plate. Other objects of our invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, constituting part of the specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder embodying our invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view showing the rings in closed position;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view showing the rings in'open position; and

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of our improvedspacer.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a case comprising a back 3 and a pair of covers 4, 5 hinged to opposite edges of the back. The back 3 is apertured, as indicated at 6, in longitudinally spaced relationship to receive a plurality of conventional rivets or eyelets 'I by means of which a ring metal 8 is secured to the back of the case. The back may be chipboard in the most inexpensive binders, or the binder may be provided with a fiber or steel binding back. In either case the binding back is bound into the case and forms party of the back of the binder.

The ring metal includes a pair of ring plates 9 to each of which a plurality of mating ring sections I is swaged. 'Ihe ring plates 9 lare arranged in edge to edge relationship with their outer edges fulcrumed inside the longitudinal edges of a cover plate II. The edges of the cover plate II are turned inwardly, as indicated at I2, to prevent accidental displacement of the ring plates 9. The cover plate is apertured, as indicated at I3, to t over the rivets 1. The cover plate II is also notched at its outer edge adjacent each ring section I0, as indicated at I 4, Figure 1, to provide room for the ring sections to open and close. Conventional triggers I5 fand IIB may be secured to opposite ends of the ring plates to facilitate opening and closing Aof the ring sections.

A spacer I'I, having an aperture |18 with an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the rivet 'I is positioned over each rivet after it has been inserted through the aperture B yand before the ring plates 9 and cover plate I I are positioned. The preformed head I9 of the rivet or eyelet is positioned outside the back '3. The spacer includes circumferential ribs 20 and 2 I with a nec-k 22 of reduced circumference spaced therebetween. The spacer I'I is so dimensioned that its rib 20 is positioned in engagement with the underside of cover plate II when the ring binder is completely assembled. The ring plates 9 have semi-circular notches 23 cut out from their inner edges in mating relationship to provide clearance for the spacer. The notches `23 llt varound the neck 22 with sufcient clearance to permit the inner edges of the ring plates to move vertically relative to the spacer When the ring sections are moved between open and closed position. The inner edges of the notches 23 engage the underside of the rib 20 -When the ring sections are moved to open position and the top surface of rib 2| when the ring sections are moved to closed position. The top 24 of the rivet or eyelet 'I is peened over the cover plate Il adjacent aperture L3 to anchor the ring metal solidly to the back 3. The spacer Il furnishes support to prevent the collapse of either the rivet or the cover plate during the riveting operation.

Although We have described a preferred embodiment of our invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modied or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, we do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described, except as limited by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a cover plate, a plurality of rivets securing said cover plate to said back member, a pair of ring plates fulcrurned in said cover plate, and a spacer positioned on each of said rivets and xed relative to said back member and said cover plate, said spacers having circumferential ribs engaging said ring plates to limit their vertical movement.

42. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a cover plate positioned above said back member, saidcover vplate having downturned longitudinal edges, a pair of ring plates having their inner edges arranged in side by side relationship and their outer edges fulcrumed in the downturned longitudinal edges of said cover plate, the inner edges of said ring plates having registering `said cover plate having downturned longitudinal edges, a pair of ring plates having their inner Vedges arranged in side by side relationship and `their outer edges fulcrumed in the downturned longitudinal edges of said cover plate, the inner edges of said ring plates having registering notches izo-operating to form an aperture, a

spacer positioned on said back member and passing through said aperture, and a pair of circumferential ribs on said spacer, said ribs engaging the inner edges of said ring plates to limit their vertical movement in either direction.

EDWARD F. BU'ENGER. JOI-IN J. MONIGI-IAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,057,103 Watson Mar. 25, 1913 2,242,035 Koelling May 13, 1941 2,336,719

Dawson Dec. 14, 1943 

